Binswanger Glass

Binswanger Glass was founded in 1872 when Samuel Binswanger opened a small glass store in Richmond, Virginia. The new business thrived in the reconstruction era that followed the Civil War.

Soon Samuel’s four sons joined him in business and the company began serving clients throughout the South.

The early 1900s were a time of growth. By 1903, the Richmond office could no longer handle all the business and a branch was opened in Memphis. In 1923, a second branch was opened in Houston.

The 1930s were a time of hardship. The financial crash of 1929 hit the nation hard. Everywhere men were selling apples on street corners, and “brother, can you spare a dime?” was the song of the day. Fortunately, Binswanger Glass was financially strong with the resources to withstand an economic disaster. The company was also committed to taking care of its employees and serving its customers. Although hundreds of thousands of dollars could have been saved by cutting wages, working shorter hours, and laying off employees, Binswanger chose to suffer years of losses rather than sacrifice its employees or lower its customer service standards.

Binswanger Mirror was founded in 1947. The company’s investment in people and customer service paid off. After the Depression, the company began to grow again, and in 1947, Binswanger Mirror was established to meet the increasing demands of a post-war customer base and take advantage of the building boom that followed World War II. In the 1940s, Binswanger Glass sold a full line of glass and mirror products as well as garage doors, mantels, kitchen cabinets, breakfast nooks, and exterior doors. Dealer cost for top quality folding attic stairs was $69! When Binswanger Glass celebrated its 75th anniversary in 1947, there were 13 branches in 15 southern and southwestern states.

By 1955, Binswanger had nearly 1,000 employees and 21 warehouses. By 1974, Binswanger responded to a growing need in the furniture industry by founding Glasscraft, the first company to produce heavy glass tabletops. Manufacturing operations were set up in Memphis, and soon glass tabletops were seen in prestigious homes and offices all over America. Their commitment to excellence is why Glasscraft was chosen to engrave the 57,000 names on the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, D.C.

Today, Binswanger Glass, has 70 locations in 14 states. Binswanger Glass is one of the biggest installers of glass and glass-related products for residential and commercial use and is a major installer of Auto Replacement Glass in the country. Binswanger Glass is also a leader in glass retailing, providing framed mirrors, shower enclosures and replacement glass to the general public.